FEATURES NEWS THE RISING NEPAL (DAILY)

By Srijana Aryal

THIS is the new millennium and we are watching Baghdad burn, bombed and blackened. Not only the Iraqis but also coalition forces have fallen in the fight.

Disturbing

What's most disturbing was a visual on CNN particularly the one said to be captured by one of the expelled journalists from Iraq. It was as if there was a firecracker display in the skies of Baghdad and the world, which was never tired of talking about American democracy, was watching U.S.-led bombardment in Iraq and that too silently.

I am not in favour of Baghdad. Neither am I in favour of the war. Yet, a question often strikes in my mind -can the victor of this liberation war guarantee that the regime replacing Saddam Hussein will not make weapons of mass destruction and will not be toppled and ruled by another Saddam Hussein in the years to come if not now?

Osama Bin Laden is still a mystery and Saddam Hussein has become a mystery now. We are not in a position to say this mystery will not remain a mystery.

Every paper, every document, every advertisement and every notice in America says loudly and boldly "no discrimination will be made on the basis of race, colour, creed, religion, place of national origin, gender, age or disability."

Because of this, the country is known in the world for its freedom of expression, for being fair and for its faith. We know America is a country where protests are staged against the war waged by itself; where the protest is stronger than the support for its own warriors; where some are more concerned about the country which is being attacked upon by herself and which is more worried about making other countries democratic.

Despite these characteristics and qualities, America is drawing international criticism. It may be recalled only about 40 countries are supporting the U.S. in the current war.. The world, which was with America on September11, is not now with it. The world which was with America when it bombed Afghanistan and is still doing so is not with it now. Even Afghanistan-liberated by the U.S.A. and Pakistan- assisted by it in smoking out and tracking down the terrorists since the beginning are not supporting her. Above all the world which was with it in the Gulf War I is not with it in the Gulf War II.
Now the people have begun to think America is attacking particular region if not religion.
The global Muslim unity has a reason to think so. There are many countries which were not alike Iraq. They too have the weapons of mass destruction and they themselves boast about and they too have similar political system.

Saddam will in all probability be dismissed from power but the current way might breed terrorism because it might give a rallying point for some extremist groups in the Islamic world.

The opinion- that killing of one person regenerates eight persons who later take revenge, has been floated by the peace-lovers is also worth pondering.

We hear, the Egyptian President has said that photographs of Iraqi women and children supposed to have been killed accidentally by American soldiers were creating more Osama bin Ladens, and that Arabs from neighbouring countries were volunteering for a new jihad in Iraq.

Tyrants, terrorists and torturers - you can smoke them out but you can't sweep them out. They regenerate, replace, replenish and replete. They are so loyal that they are even willing to kill themselves for anyone, for their belief and for their faith.

The U.S. government should try to focus on the root cause of the anti-Americanism and find out why its erstwhile friends have turned into foes. It should rather persuade all others and try to prove and justify that what it is doing is just.

The loss and damage of this war will be incalculable in terms of lives, resources, archaeological sites and environment.

But still the only remorse is this war could have been averted. The international body was seeking a resolution. This last resort could have been converted into the last resolution. Let's hope there will be swift and safe resolution to this. Because war kills people. Those who are not the creators do not have the right whatsoever to become the destroyers.

Irreparable

In addition to it, the scar it will leave in the history of international community and in the minds of the people who lost their loved ones will be indelible. The emptiness left by the departing souls of the dear ones is irreparable. The wounds will be too deep.

The woes will continue. The world is watching with "shock and awe" this war of liberation -leaving many questioning now what's next. There might be a long never-ending list of countries with dictatorships occupying weapons of mass destruction awaiting America seeking liberation.

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